The Formation of TRIGGER
by kaixmaxi
Summary: (Set before TRIGGER was formed) Without any regard for Gaku's nonexistent contribution, the decision has already been made for an idol group to debut under Yaotome Productions by the name of TRIGGER. The story revolves around how each of them were scouted, and their first meeting. Unbeknownst to each of them, the trigger has already been pulled as the idol trio makes their mark in
1. A Father's Orders

Gaku always felt as though there was some sort of void between his father and his mother. A gap that couldn't be fulfilled. His mother loved his father, yet it seemed as though he didn't reciprocate that feeling. His gaze never properly focused on her, it was as if they were clouded over by something else. It was like… he loved someone else, and that his mother was just a substitute for someone that was now out of his grasp.

A few years later, a divorce was filed and the two separated. His father had taken custody of him, only because Gaku appeared marketable and it seemed as though he could produce some form of profit. He proved those words to be true as Gaku realised the house was constantly empty as his father was still at work, and that his opinion wasn't of any importance when it came to decision-making. He should've suspected as much. Such was the behaviour of Yaotome Sousuke.

* * *

Gaku received elite education and was treated well by those around him, save for his father. Additionally, he received private music classes and dance lessons. It was a far more peaceful and serene way of expressing himself, instead of the usual cursing that he'd been used to.

In his free time, he enjoyed driving, and helping out at 'Yamamura Soba' where he helped out his grandfather from his mother's side of the family. He was getting old, and work was becoming harder so Gaku felt a personal sense of accomplishment at being able to help them out. However, soon enough this time was sure to be limited as he realised Sousuke's true intentions.

It wasn't until a while later that Gaku discovered the lessons were all just to build up his skill set so he could become a product of Yaotome Productions. It was on the day that he'd been told to visit the agency after his lessons.

"You're going to be debuting under my agency as an idol," Sousuke declared.

"Screw yourself, old man," Gaku scowled, "I'm not interested in listening to a thing that comes out of your mouth."

"I've looked after you for 20 years of your life," Sousuke pointed out sourly, "Show some gratitude."

"Well, you did a shitty job at it!" he spat, "You—"

"You don't have the right to choose the work you do! I've already allowed you to work at that soba shop!" Sousuke interrupted, and directed an accusing finger at him. "I only took custody of you since you seemed profitable. Don't be so arrogant."

Says you, Gaku thought to himself. He rolled his eyes and snorted derisively. His father was the very personification of the word 'pompous'. He didn't know of any other person that could have fit the description so perfectly. He remained silent, and Sousuke continued.

"The idol group has already been established anyway," Sousuke stated, "We already have a centre by the name of Kujou Tenn and he's decided that the group's name is TRIGGER. There's three people, yourself, him and another person."

"So my opinion doesn't count anymore?"

_More like, when did it ever?_ he thought, yet he couldn't believe that a complete stranger was making all the decisions already. He hadn't even met this 'Kujou Tenn' person but he already felt like they were going to be a royal pain in the ass. He heaved a sigh of exasperation, eager to leave this room. Listening to his father's words made him feel like he was trying to bite down bile.

"If your opinion mattered, then you wouldn't be having a future," Sousuke argued derisively, "Working your whole life away at the soba shop, or being some regular salaryman if I didn't take custody of you. I had no intention of selling you as a cheap person like that. As an idol, you can have wealth and fame."

"Those are material things that only you care about," Gaku scoffed.

However, Sousuke ignored him as he slid a business card on his table, obviously with the expectation that Gaku put in the effort to walk over and take it off his desk. "Your guide to the meeting place will also be your manager, Anesagi Kaoru. They'll be bringing you to meet the other two members, including Kujou Tenn."

"Kujou Tenn…" Gaku muttered.

He raised himself upwards and picked up the business card. There was a date and a location. It was less than a week from now. It was far too sudden. Gaku sighed exasperatedly and left the room, without any regard for his father. He didn't give two shits about who the centre was, even if it was this complete stranger. As long as it was based on actual talent and they didn't buy their way in, then he was fine with that.

If they did buy their way in then he'd leave with absolutely no hesitation. He was basically forced down this path by his old man anyway. That was the decision he'd made. After all, this was his future, not just someone else's.


	2. To Surpass A Legend

On that night, the blaring of ambulance sirens was the loudest thing Tenn heard that day. He wished it was able to drown out the thing that was equally as loud, and that was the echoed 'Tenn-nii', in between his brother's cries and choked gasps. An attack was certainly incoming.

He wanted to turn around, run back to Riku and tell him he was there to stay forever. However, all things come to an end, and he would've known that the most.

* * *

Tenn sat idly inside Kujou's car as the older man drove him to their new home. He stole a glance behind him, the ambulance lights in the distance and now only a faint sound. The lights were soon obscured by other traffic and he slumped in his seat.

"Are you worried about your brother?" Kujou inquired curiously.

"Not in the slightest," he replied coldly as he cast his gaze forward to see the road in front of them again.

"You don't need to lie to me," he chuckled dryly and smiled. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to pay off their debt so that your family can afford for your brother's frequent hospital visits."

Tenn slightly relaxed at that comment. That had been the reason he 'abandoned' his family. Kujou would pay off their family's debt from their attempts in trying to keep open their business. That way, they would have enough money to be able to pay for Riku's constant hospital visits. He couldn't believe that he'd been the cause of one of Riku's attacks when that was what he'd always been trying to avoid, even if it ended up making Riku cry.

It would be beneficial for Riku in the long-term. Tenn shouldn't have worried. Riku could take care of himself. With that, he closed his eyes off to the reality that he'd been confronted with.

He would no longer be seeing Riku again. After all… the moment he left his family, he would no longer be Nanase Tenn, but Kujou Tenn. He would no longer exist on the family register. This wasn't a decision he could retract. He propped his chin onto his palm and sighed. His heart had already began to ache. Without a doubt, he would be lonely soon enough. No more dancing or singing for his sickly, little brother.

* * *

Three years passed, and Tenn often found that he frequently danced and sung for Kujou, whether it was at home, or the rehearsal room that he used for lessons. It felt like he was always putting on a performance for him, like how he did for Riku, yet it wasn't the same. It was a little as if he was being studied, rather than being watched for actual entertainment. Kujou smiled and clapped his hands when Tenn's performance ended.

"You did wonderfully Tenn," Kujou complimented.

"You give me more credit than I deserve," Tenn replied.

"No need to be so modest," he said, and dismissed Tenn's comment with a wave of his hand. He gazed directly at Tenn as a smile played on his lips. "You're perfect. You're only 16… you still have a lot of potential. You're already doing well in academics to the point that you could skip a few years and start going to university…" He paused, as if to consider something and nodded to himself. "I'll make you into an idol, Tenn. An idol that can even surpass the legendary Zero. You'll become the new face of the show business world. Tenn… you won't leave me, will you?"

"I won't," he replied, "I'm indebted to you greatly, Kujou-san. Thank you for all that you've done for me."

Kujou chuckled slightly as a relieved smile decorated his lips at Tenn's response. He nodded several times, almost as if he needed to confirm that fact. He sat back in his seat and pondered on something, until he faced Tenn once again. "What do you think about debuting as an idol soon? I know an acquaintance that can set you up."

"...An acquaintance?"

"The president of Yaotome Productions, Yaotome Sousuke," Kujou clarified, "He'll be able to put your talents to good use. You'll even have a manager prepared to take care of you. How about it?"

"I'll do it," he replied instantly.

He was raised with the mindset that he'd become an idol who could even surpass the legendary idol Zero. With that thought in mind, there was no reason as to why he should've refused an opportunity like this. He'd debut early and get his name out there. By the time he was 18, he'd make sure that he was known by each and every person in Japan.

Tenn found that he met with the president soon enough through Kujou, although he was absent during the audition since he was busy with other work. Tenn found that Yaotome Sousuke was a thorough businessman that was primarily concerned with the marketability of those under him, and the profits that he could make from them.

Above all, despite that, he still cared about actual talent. Tenn had been standing in the rehearsal room, and had just finished his performance. Sousuke hummed in thought until he nodded.

"You're better than the other two, that's for sure," Sousuke commented, "Kujou Tenn, was it?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Then congratulations on joining Yaotome Productions, Tenn."

"I look forward to working with you."

"I'll be debuting you as the centre of a three-man idol group. It would be good to have the symmetrical silhouettes. If it pleases you, then you can decide on the name. Contact me once you've—"

"TRIGGER," Tenn said suddenly, until he elaborated on the word. "I want the name to be TRIGGER. Also… I'd like to impose some conditions on meeting these other two members."

Sousuke tilted his head to the side inquisitively. "And that would be…?"

"I want to remain incognito until the day we meet… with the exception that you can give my name to them," Tenn started, "I would like for the three of us to meet somewhere private. I'll make the preparations for that by asking Kujou-san. Would this be alright?"

"If you're the one doing the arrangements, then I have no complaints," Sousuke replied, "Ask him to send me the details once you've decided on everything. On the day, you'll also be seeing your manager Anesagi Kaoru."

"Thank you for your hard work," Tenn ended.

With that, he took his leave from the audition room and left no room for any additional comments from Sousuke. He wondered who the other two members were. Would they have been around his age? He doubted it. Sousuke mentioned something along the lines of 'symmetrical silhouettes', so was this a combination of 'giant-little-giant'?

He paused, feeling a little irked at that thought. He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. He was only 16. He'd grow a few more centimetres. Probably. Nonetheless, he was satisfied with his current height anyway. He could play the perfect role of someone angelic, but with words of poison. A devilish angel.

He took out his phone and decided to rabbit chat Kujou that he'd successfully passed the audition. _'Kujou-san. I've passed the audition. Myself, along with two other members, will be debuting as an idol group by the name of TRIGGER. Would it be alright for me to request that we meet somewhere private?_'... and send. He hoped he wasn't being selfish in his request that they all meet somewhere private. He was already indebted to Kujou since he paid off the debt of the Nanase family. His mother and father should've been able to afford Riku's medical fees that way. Riku would be healthy.

Three years had passed since that day, but the memory was still vivid. Riku's choked gasps, and the weak voice that called out for him to come back. It was a little lonely. He wouldn't have been able to see Riku growing up. He sighed disappointedly, and flinched as his phone vibrated from Kujou's reply. He'd been so absorbed in thinking about Riku that it had almost scared him.

'_That will be fine. I can rent out a bar for you, but would that be alright? You're still underage after all._' Tenn smiled shyly, glad that Kujou took his age into account when he considered his options. Tenn sent a reply, '_That's fine. It's not like I'll be drinking._' then he quickly received a reply, '_I know a good place. It's deep RIVER. I'll rent it for the whole day_.' Tenn nodded satisfactorily and sent one last reply. '_Would you be able to inform the president of this decision? Thank you for your hard work._' He received a reply at that too. '_I can. Thank you for your hard work as well._'

Tenn smiled, and pocketed his phone. He'd be meeting the other two members soon enough, and 'Anesagi Kaoru'. There was no more time to look back into the past and think about Riku. He needed to concentrate on the present.

The idol group, TRIGGER. If he was going to be famous and surpass the legendary idol Zero, then this debut would be his trigger in making his mark on this world.


	3. A Farewell to Okinawa

Ryuunosuke would've never forgotten that day - it was a vivid memory, one that would never be erased from his mind. The dark clouds gathered in the sky, and signified that a storm was approaching. They swirled ominously, and lightning began to rumble as the skies gradually grew darker. All his little brothers had been out playing on the Okinawan beach somewhere, so he hurried off to find them. His father was still at sea, but surely he should've returned on time.

When he found each of his little brothers, he demanded that they return back home and they did so willingly. The wind began to howl across the entirety of Okinawa, and the trees trembled at the force of it. Lightning struck the ground, yet his father's boat was still nowhere in sight. He would've expected it to be in his line of sight in the distance at least, but there was still nothing.

Trees came crashing down onto the ground, and particles of dust and sand glided through the air. Ryuunosuke hurried back home to keep his little brothers company. His father would be safe. He should've been safe. He never underestimated the ocean.

* * *

His father ended up returning a few hours later. He was exhausted, drained and soaked wet from the rain. A crestfallen expression was on his face, and it was an unusual one. He came back with bad news that his boat had broken down from the storm and he was just barely able to make it back. He was already on his way to return home when the clouds began to gather, but it was already far too late.

Everything had changed that week. They scraped together everything they had to buy a new boat that was seaworthy. It was essential since his father was a fisherman. They needed money to pay it back, so things became different. The fish that they caught would be sold; meals of sashimi turned into ochazuke. Ryuunosuke was often at work to earn money.

During his work one day, he had stumbled across a strange man. Without a doubt, it was someone from Tokyo. He donned on a suit and his very aura reeked of wealth. They were glancing around, almost as if they were curious. Like the kind soul he was, Ryuunosuke approached them. It was his break after all, he had plenty of time to spare if they needed help of some sort.

Him walking over had been noticed and Ryuunosuke hesitated in speaking to them. They were from Tokyo, so would they have understood the Okinawan dialect? He parted his lips in an attempt to speak, and felt himself getting increasingly flustered. He wasn't used to speaking in standard Japanese, but did his best anyway.

"Are you lost?"

The man remained silent, and Ryuunosuke smiled awkwardly. Maybe some city boy wasn't interested in talking to a country bumpkin like himself. He felt shy, and wondered if now was a good time to retreat. Suddenly, they spoke. "You. What's your name?"

"...Me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?"

Ryuunosuke flushed and spoke awkwardly. "Tsunashi… Tsunashi Ryuunosuke."

"I've found it…" he murmured, "A gem in the dirt."

"A what?"

The man dismissed it with a wave of his hand, and finally introduced himself. "I'm Yaotome Sousuke, president of Yaotome Productions."

_Sounds like a big company…_ Ryuunosuke thought. His thoughts were quickly interrupted as Sousuke continued. "What do you think about debuting as an idol? If you can't pass as an idol, you could become a model. You'll be promised both fame and fortune if you do, so how about it?"

Ryuunosuke hesitated. A country bumpkin like him becoming an idol or a model, he couldn't even imagine himself as one. It was a possibility that never occurred to him until now. However, he was promised fame and fortune. He didn't really care about being popular, but he needed the money to pay off his father's debt. Suddenly, he paused as he connected the two dots together. If he was popular, didn't that mean he'd get more money?

He felt reluctant. Debuting as an idol just for the money… wasn't that extremely shallow of him? No… that was just putting a magnifying glass on the whole situation. If he could get the money, then he'd be able to afford a better life for his family. With that money, maybe ochazuke would end up turning into meals of sashimi again, and his brothers would be able to treat themselves sometimes.

"I want to try it," he stated, "Please let me debut as an idol!"

Sousuke nodded, and extracted a business card as well as a pen. He wrote on the back of it and held it out towards Ryuunosuke. "Take this, and meet me there. Before we start anything… you'll have to audition first."

Ryuunosuke took the card gratefully, and nodded firmly. "Thank you."

* * *

To Ryuunosuke, dancing felt different while he was being observed. Usually he would drink and dance with others in Okinawa since it was an easy way for people to understand each other, especially since he followed his father's words of '_You'll understand someone's personality if you drink and dance together_'. However, this situation was different. This stage, or rather the audition hall belonged solely to him, and that was what had unnerved him.

With one last step, he ended his performance and felt his breath coming in short, tired gasps. He took the hem of his shirt, and wiped away some of his sweat. He could still feel Sousuke's gaze on him, and he shifted awkwardly, almost in an attempt to shrink away from that piercing look.

Sousuke turned on his heel silently without a word and began to walk away. Suddenly, he paused and beckoned Ryuunosuke over. "Follow me."

Ryuunosuke did so obediently and hurried over to Sousuke. They soon arrived at what appeared to be a large office. Ryuunosuke glanced around, and spied two small words '_President's Office_'. He gulped, and continued forward. He took a seat upon being ordered to do so, whilst Sousuke picked up some documents from his desk.

"I'm going to be asking you some questions… think of this as a background check," Sousuke commented as he took a seat across Ryuunosuke. He flipped through the documents until he placed it onto the table. "Your father is some hotel tycoon, so why were you labouring away in Okinawa?"

Ryuunosuke paused. How should he have corrected him? He thought for a moment and wondered how to say it in standard Japanese. "The, uh, '_hotel tycoon_' is my stepfather," he said. "My real father is a fisherman… I was labouring away for the money, my dad's boat broke down and we got a debt because of it, but we're trying our best to pay it back!"

Sousuke hummed in thought at the comment then sat back in his seat, as if he had to consider something. "Don't talk about them in public," Sousuke ordered.

"Huh?"

"Your father's broken boat and his debts will be bad for your image," he clarified. He hesitated to continue and picked up the documents on the table again. "But there's nothing to be ashamed of…"

Ryuunosuke nodded, until it hit him. That very statement implied that he was going to have an image. Didn't that mean…?

"Now you're a star at Yaotome Productions. Congratulations of debuting with us."

Ryuunosuke didn't know how to describe the feeling within him. It was like a bubbling sensation that continued to rise - it was hot, painful and strangely worrisome. At the same time, he felt flustered from the happiness that reached him. He'd try his best to work hard to get the money to pay back his father's debt. In a panic, he realised he hadn't yet replied to Sousuke.

"Yes! I look forward to working with you," he said, and realised he had switched back to his Okinawan accent.

Sousuke blinked at the sudden change in accent, but returned his gaze back to the documents that he held. "You have a terrible accent. Use the standard dialect when you're in Tokyo. Celebrities who speak in their local dialect are seen as comedians. I have no intention of presenting you as a cheap celebrity."

"Oh, uh, y-yes," he replied awkwardly.

Ryuunosuke sighed to himself, and realised a business card had been slid over to him. He picked it up in a hurry and examined it. Presented on it were a person's contact details - '_Anesagi Kaoru_'.

"That's the name of your manager," Sousuke clarified, "Contact them and they'll message you the details of where and when you should meet up. At that time, you'll also be meeting the other members of your group as well. With that, you can leave."

Ryuunosuke nodded firmly and left Sousuke's office. He closed the door behind him, and released a pent-up breath. It was so difficult to talk with Yaotome Sousuke. He had a harsh demeanor and attitude. He was going to be working under that man soon enough, so he had better get used to it. He gulped to himself, and clenched both of his fists.

"Alright!" he exclaimed with his Okinawan accent. He froze and recalled that he needed to use the standard Japanese dialect.

It was going to be difficult adapting. He spent 21 years of his life in Okinawa after all. He inhaled sharply and stole a glance at the business card he received. The group that he'd be debuting with… he wondered what sort of people they were. Was it really alright for a country bumpkin like him to get involved with this whole show business? He shook his head and slapped both his cheeks. He needed to have some more confidence. If he wasn't worthy enough, then he wouldn't have even passed the audition.

Yaotome Productions. Yaotome Sousuke. Anesagi Kaoru. An unknown idol group. He couldn't help but wonder what the future had in store for him. However, that left one thing. Now that he was going to be a celebrity in Tokyo, there would be no more time to return back home. No more time for Okinawa. He could already feel the tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

His father had acknowledged his decision, and his brothers understood why he left, but it was going to be a little lonely. His apartment wouldn't have been as loud anymore. It wasn't just going to be like home. Alas… like a silent prayer, he whispered goodbye to his former life in Okinawa.


	4. TRIGGER

Gaku sighed to himself exasperatedly as he recalled the reality that he would debut as an idol with none other than his father's company, Yaotome Productions. He reached over to his bedside table and groaned as he picked up the business card that his father had given him a few days ago.

He discovered later that it was Anesagi Kaoru's business card and all their details had been written on it. On the flip side was the meeting location, the date and the time. It was in the afternoon so he had to do something to pass the time. With that thought in mind, he sighed and set the card back down, then stole a glance outside.

Clouds had gathered within the sky, and the snow had descended slowly with each second that passed. By evening, he was certain that Tokyo would be covered with a thin layer of snow. He decided he'd go out, pass the time and then head to the meeting place. He nodded to himself, almost in the manner of needing to confirm that thought - as if it was a part of his schedule. He dressed warmly and set out immediately.

* * *

In the afternoon, Gaku arrived at the meeting place and found that it was a cafe. The bell tinkled as he entered, and the aroma of coffee wafted through the air. There was something he had realised a little earlier on, and it was that he didn't even know the appearance of 'Anesagi Kaoru'. How was he going to identify them amongst all the customers that were present?

Wouldn't it have been impolite to call out their name loudly? Gaku felt an intense gaze on him and instantly turned around. He was usually stared at by the general public and he was used to it, but this was a different sort of feeling. As he turned, he locked gazes with someone who had waved to him, whilst a polite smile was apparent on their lips.

Their pink hair trailed down their broad shoulders evenly, with hints of make-up and lipstick decorating each of their facial features. They brushed their hair back with a hand, and tucked it behind their ear. In front of them was a saucer and a cup of black coffee with a container of sugar cubes on the side.

Despite their continuous eye contact, neither of them dared to look away. Gaku took a step forward and headed over to them reluctantly. He took a seat across them. They propped their chin on the back of their hand and hummed in thought for a moment, until they nodded.

They did a slight bow of their head and extended their hand out towards him. "I am Anesagi Kaoru. I'm looking forward to working with you."

Gaku breathed a sigh of relief. If he sat next to a complete stranger that wasn't Anesagi, he wouldn't have known what to do. According to his father, they were the manager of TRIGGER and his guide to meeting the other two members of the group. He quickly reciprocated the gesture and shook their hand firmly. "I'm Yaotome Gaku. Likewise, I'm in your care."

If there was one question that instantly arose within him, it had been how he should've addressed them. They seemed to synthesise elements of being both female and male that it was difficult to tell. He safely assumed it would've been rude to ask so he decided to stick with gender neutrality. They lifted their cup and took a sip of their coffee, then set it back down.

With that motion, they instantly went straight to business. "I believe the president has already informed you that we'll be meeting the other two members of TRIGGER - Kujou Tenn, and Tsunashi Ryuunosuke," they said.

Gaku nodded as he registered the two names. He recognised Kujou Tenn - the person that had decided the group's name and they were made the centre. It still irked him that this unknown person had been already been making decisions without the slightest consideration for him. Meanwhile, Tsunashi Ryuunosuke was a completely new name. Was it their first time entering the show business world? He dismissed it with a wave of his hand and replied to Anesagi. It would've been impolite to keep them waiting.

"Where will we be meeting them?" Gaku inquired curiously.

"With Ryuunosuke, we'll be seeing him in the city square in the capital. With Tenn, we'll be meeting him privately at a bar called '_deep RIVER_' with no affiliation to the agency," Anesagi pointed out. They continued as they observed the puzzled expression on Gaku. "Tenn has personally done us the favour of renting out the entire place for us for today, so we can spend as much time as we want with each other."

_So they've got enough money to rent out an entire place for a day…?_ Gaku thought to himself. He cupped his chin and bit his bottom lip._ I hope they didn't buy their way in… they did become the centre after all. If this was based off of dirty money and not talent, then I'm out._

Gaku sat back in his seat and gazed at Anesagi. He wanted a way to be alone with these other two members and not have Anesagi accompanying him. He needed a way to get them off his tail, but how…?

He continued to ponder, until he felt their gaze on him. He cast his gaze forward for the both of them to lock eyes once again. It was just like before. He pursed his lips. Was he being observed? Silence wafted through the air and he quickly struck up a conversation.

"Anesagi-san, when are we going to meet… Tsunashi Ryuunosuke?" he questioned. That name sure had been a mouthful.

"Definitely not until a while later. In fact, we'll be meeting him a few hours from now. Why?"

He secretly clenched his fists behind his back, and hoped this feeling of victory wasn't apparent on his face. His emotions often showed on his face, regardless of whether he wanted them to or not. He had a few hours to get Anesagi off his tail. That should've been more than enough time.

"If that's the case… then do you want to go out?" Gaku suggested eagerly, until he clarified his invitation. "We could do something to kill the time. It'd be less boring than waiting around and doing nothing, don't you think?"

"You have a good head on your shoulders. When you put it like that… then shall we?"

With that comment, they downed the rest of their coffee and left their seat. They picked up the scarf from the table and threw it around themselves neatly. They smiled whilst Gaku also began to head out.

A few hours. It should've been more than enough time. At that very moment, he wasn't aware that he would've been deadly mistaken and would be running minutes— no, _hours_ late by the time he met Tsunashi Ryuunosuke.

* * *

Tenn and Kujou's footsteps echoed on the tiled floor of the bar as they entered. A sign had been placed at the front that the place had been rented for private purposes, so there wouldn't have been any disturbances. Tenn glanced around curiously as he observed the area.

There were numerous stools that had been set next to the counter. All the tables had been stacked atop each other and were on the side. That made the place especially roomy. There was a wooden cabinet with numerous alcoholic beverages and empty wine glasses. The lights had been shining down on the entire area. Tenn smiled and thought it was aesthetically pleasing.

"Thank you for renting this place out for me," Tenn said as his hand glided across the wooden bar counter. "It's wonderful."

He inspected his hand to see that not a hint of dust was located on his fingertips. It was perfectly clean. This place would've been an ideal environment for Riku considering it was dust-free and completely clean. It was even ventilated so there wouldn't have been any sudden changes in the air temperature. Suddenly, he slapped himself mentally and scolded himself internally for thinking about Riku. That wasn't his priority right now.

Focusing back on business, Tenn cupped his chin and thought back on who was coming today. It was the manager, the president's son… and… someone else that he couldn't remember. He would see if the both of them were worthy of being able to surpass the legendary idol, Zero. Those were Kujou's expectations after all.

If they couldn't, he'd send them home running with tears in their eyes, and tail in between their legs. He'd behave how he wanted in front of them regardless of the fact that they were most likely older than him. This was business after all. There would always be rejection at some point, and he'd grant it to them if they failed to meet those expectations.

However, that meant one problem. He was most likely— no, the chance that he'd be disrespectful was 100%. He didn't want Kujou to see him like that. It would've felt like a disgrace to both himself and Kujou. He turned on his heel to face Kujou, his foster father.

"Kujou-san," Tenn started, "You should rest properly after how busy you've been. Don't you think you should head back home and recuperate? What if fatigue catches up with you?"

"It's perfectly fine, I have enough energy to oversee these proceedings," Kujou replied, "Although thank you for your concern."

Tenn gulped. Wouldn't it have been rude to say it directly? '_I want you to go home so I can make the members cry_' wasn't exactly the most appropriate thing to say. He continued his attempted persuasion, "Well, don't you have any… other matters to attend to?"

"...Are you possibly implying something?"

Tenn bit his bottom lip and shifted awkwardly. He should've been honest. After all, Kujou was kind and provided him with his constant hospitality. "Well… would it be alright for you to go home for today? It's not that I'm trying to get you out—… I mean… well, I want to meet everyone from TRIGGER properly without any others around, except our manager."

"I don't mind heading back home if you give me a report on how the other members are," Kujou replied as he nodded his head acceptingly. Although he paused and cast his gaze towards Tenn. "But will you be ok by yourself?"

"I'll be fine by myself. I'll contact you if anything happens, so rest properly at home, alright?"

"I will then. Thank you."

With that, Kujou turned on his heel and began to exit the bar with a slight wave of his hand. Tenn sighed in relief and took a seat on one of the stools. He'd sit here until the others came. They should've come at somewhere around late evening.

A few hours later, Tenn was stretching and doing exercises to maintain his flexibility. They should've been coming soon. He paused as his phone vibrated from a message and he reached over to read it. It was an incoming rabbit chat from Kujou. He blinked curiously and opened it.

'_There's been a problem._' is what it wrote. Instantly, another message sent through. '_It seems as though the president's son has purposely lost the manager. Perhaps I should come after all…_'. Tenn quickly sent a reply to interject Kujou's train of thought. 'T_hat's fine Kujou-san. I can deal with it myself, but thank you._' He received a reply soon enough. '_Alright. I trust you. Take care._'

Tenn smiled to himself and quickly shook his head. He couldn't be thinking about Kujou right now, he should've been more concerned about the president's son. Losing their manager on purpose? What was he even thinking? Did he throw a tantrum and come here in a fuss? Was he going to complain? Bully him in secret?

Tenn snorted derisively at that very thought. His attempt would've been unsuccessful if that were the case. Although without a doubt, he surely would've been late. He couldn't believe that someone in the group was already being tardy.

Tenn heaved an exasperated sigh. He was good at dealing with spoiled brats. This would've been no different.

* * *

Ryuunosuke's breath came in small, short puffs as the snow fell. The street lights gradually began to flicker on and they illuminated the streets. Murmurs and chatters of people increased in volume as they began to finish work. He pulled up his scarf in an attempt to warm himself and shivered slightly. Tokyo's winters weren't like Okinawa at all - they were far more cold. He regretted not dressing more warmly.

He reached into his pocket and took out his phone to look at the message he had received from Anesagi Kaoru. They should've met a few hours before, yet Anesagi still wasn't here. He heaved a sigh and wondered what to do. He was tempted to buy something hot so he could warm himself during his wait, yet he hesitated. What if they came during his absence? It would've been terrible. The sun began to set and he decided to continue waiting, even despite how cold he was.

* * *

Gaku heaved a sigh as he finally got Anesagi off his tail. He visited several places with them, each with the thought of shaking them off at one of the areas, yet it was constantly unsuccessful. He accelerated his walking pace but that didn't work either. He ran at one point saying they'd miss a train to one of the destinations they were headed to, but they followed him like their life depended on it.

Gaku never would've thought it to be this difficult. Now, there was just one more obstacle and that was to meet Tsunashi Ryuunosuke. Anesagi had stated they'd be meeting him in the city square in the capital. The problem was… which part in the capital? He groaned and already felt mentally exhausted. It was already night. He was going to be late by hours for sure. What if they already left?

He slapped himself mentally and dropped the thought as he shook his head. He strolled around the capital and could feel everyone's gazes drawn to him. However, in all that, he realised one person hadn't yet been looking at him. Instead, they had been staring at the ground. They brought out their phone and directed their attention to it instead. Gaku began to head over and wondered if that was Tsunashi Ryuunosuke.

"Look! That guy is really handsome!"

"He's really good-looking… is he famous?"

Gaku could feel that those compliments were directed towards him, although it seemed as though those words had finally caught the man's attention. He had glanced upwards and Gaku immediately made eye contact with him. He headed over and paused in front of him.

"You're Tsunashi Ryuunosuke aren't you?" Gaku said.

However, he was only met with silence and a puzzled expression. Gaku began to feel self-doubt crawling within him. Did he get the wrong person? If he did, then he'd apologise and leave. Although the man in front of him gave off a bit of a shy aura. His cheeks were slightly reddened as well as his nose. Maybe it was just from the cold, but he decided to trust in the aura that the man had emitted.

Gaku inhaled and repeated himself in an attempt to double check if they were Tsunashi Ryuunosuke and to give them another opportunity to reply. "You're Tsunashi Ryuunosuke, who belongs to Yaotome Productions, aren't you? Am I wrong?" he said.

Finally, he spoke and nodded. "Ah… that's right. I'm Tsunashi Ryuunosuke."

"There you go," Gaku replied.

Ryuunosuke had finally spoken. He seemed like a friendly person. With that thought in mind, Gaku extended his hand outwards to him. "I'm Yaotome Gaku. Nice to meet you."

Ryuunosuke took his hand firmly and smiled. With that, Gaku withdrew his hand and turned on his heel. They'd travel to the meeting place via a taxi considering it was far away, so their first destination was going to be a taxi stand. He began to walk away and pocketed both his hands.

"This way," he stated and Ryuunosuke trailed after him. Gaku continued. "You heard that our manager was coming right?"

"Y-Yes…" Ryuunosuke stammered, "They were going to introduce me to the other members."

"They're not coming. I lost them on purpose," Gaku said. With that comment, he mentally heaved a sigh. It was exhausting work to do so. If it was that difficult, he couldn't even imagine what they'd be like as their manager.

"You did?!" Ryuunosuke exclaimed. Surprise had lined each of his words. With how surprised he was, Gaku wouldn't doubt it if he didn't know the other details so he decided to elaborate on them, even if Ryuunosuke hadn't asked.

"The third member of the group is a very secretive member," Gaku started, "He wants to avoid going out in public, so he's decided where we'll be meeting today. It'll be a bar at Shibuya. He went as far as renting the whole place out…" Gaku paused, until he continued. "_Kujou Tenn_. He's the centre of the group. The name of the group is TRIGGER. It's our group, but he made all those decisions by himself. Isn't that annoying?"

Gaku realised his last few words felt like a mini rant. Whenever he thought of how this 'Kujou Tenn' made all the decisions without consideration for their opinions, it always frustrated him. However, he was only met with silence once again. He turned his head slightly to face Ryuunosuke who seemed as though he was blanked out, or dazed, as if he were in another world or he'd been thinking about something else. Gaku resisted the urge to sigh, and spoke calmly instead.

"Hey. Are you listening?"

"...Ah, I'm sorry!" he replied.

Ryuunosuke cast his gaze downwards with an expression that conveyed confusion, and Gaku continued walking. Ryuunosuke probably wasn't listening. Well, it didn't matter. Gaku stole a glance behind him to see Ryuunosuke's brows furrowed as if he were deep in thought. Was he going to say something? However, only silence continued to waft between them.

"If you've got something to say, then say it," Gaku urged considering Ryuunosuke still seemed as though he were deep in thought, and yet he wasn't saying anything. "This isn't just about someone else's future. It's also about your future."

"...I'm sorry."

Ryuunosuke seemed like a quiet person. He was constantly apologising a few times as well. Gaku began to feel as though he did something wrong. He frowned and instantly slapped himself mentally. He shouldn't have gotten so worked up over this. He needed to prioritise their current task and that was to arrive at 'deep RIVER' - the meeting place.

"Just come with me. We're going to meet that secret member without the agency being involved," Gaku stated. After all, he went through the trouble of getting Anesagi off his tail as well. He thought back on how 'Kujou Tenn' was made the centre.

It crossed his mind several times, but it better have been off actual talent and that they didn't buy their way in. This was his future, and he wasn't going to allow his father to control it. He spoke again. "If he's nothing more than a fake prince who's in this for the money, then I'll quit."

"You'll leave the group?" Ryuunosuke said.

A hint of confusion, concern and worry was within his voice, but Gaku dismissed it. He wasn't going to be swayed from this decision. "That's right."

Before Ryuunosuke could voice any complaints, Gaku gestured outwards for the incoming taxi that had been approaching. Their only accompaniment was silence as they rode in the taxi together. Neither dared to make the first move or strike up a conversation.

* * *

Tenn could hear incoming footsteps as he sat on one of the stools. He raised his head upwards and the sound of footsteps ceased. They must've just entered the bar and were standing there idly like fools. He turned his head to face them and lifted himself off his seat to stand up properly. It was about time that they had arrived.

From afar, he could observe expressions of recognition on their faces. They must've already known who he was. That certainly saved him the effort of introducing himself. He observed the both of them.

First was the silver-haired man. He was handsome and amazingly attractive. Both men and women would've been able to appreciate his beauty and be awestruck by it. Without a doubt, if that man went into the world, the whole world would talk about it and most certainly ogle at him. With that thought in mind, Tenn felt nothing but pity for him.

Tenn switched his gaze towards the brunet. He still wore a surprised expression, but was that a faint blush that Tenn saw? The man seemed pure, as if were free from the world's cruelties - it was like the innocent purity of someone that had never been severely hurt.

Between the two, it was easy to distinguish which one would've been the president's son. The ends of his lips curled upwards as he smiled playfully. He raised a hand upwards to point an accusing finger at the silver-haired man.

"Hey, tell me something," Tenn started, "Which one of you is the short-tempered son of president Yaotome?"

His voice, like a spoken lullaby, initiated the first proper dialogue that would've commenced between the three members of TRIGGER.


End file.
